A loud crash from the living room brings Illumi running. Adella had been working from home on the drizzly Saturday morning, and he had elected to stay in as well.

"Seriously!"

Illumi rounds the corner, lowering his needles. Adella seemed calm and unbothered, so it might just be…

"You don't sound excited to see me."

Oh.

"Hello, Ryn."

The woman grins, surrounded by shards of glass. "So, you haven't gotten kicked out yet. Hisoka will be so…"

"Ryn." Adella frowns. "My window. I thought we agreed on using the door."

"Nah, that's not fun." Ryn drapes herself across the couch, reaching for the sweet bowl on the coffee table. "So, what's new?"

Adella rolls her eyes, moving to clean up the glass. Illumi intercepts her, telling her to sit with their uninvited guest and let him pick it up.

"Shouldn't you be at Heaven's Arena?" Adella asks, pushing Ryn's feet off her cushions so she can sit.

"Eh, Hisoka and Chrollo won't let me fight them. I want to challenge a floor master so when Hisoka finally becomes one, the three of us have run of the tower. But I have time."

Illumi listens as he cleans, intrigued by their acquaintance's lifes since the exam. In the month following, he hadn't heard much from the magician, and while Adella kept in touch with Ryn, she didn't share what they spoke of.

"Oh! By the way, Killua knows about you two."

Illumi stands, dropping a few shards of glass, one of which cuts his hand. "What?"

"Lumi!" Adella rises, pulling his towards the kitchen. "Are you alright?"

Ryn watches the two, rather shocked at how familiar they're being. After how Illumi had betrayed her friend, Ryn figured Adella would be more hesitant to allow him close again. Either Illumi had proven himself very changed, or he had a needle in her head.

She doesn't want to think about which is more likely.

Illumi barely moves as Adella patches him up. "Apologies. I was merely shocked."

"You're fine." She presses a kiss to his palm over the bandages. "All better."

"As cute as this is," Ryn interrupts. "I'm only here for a week. I have to get back to watch Hisoka fight Kastro."

Adella's attention is immediately captured. "That's the guy he…"

"Yep. Everyone is excited. I, for one, told him if he got hurt…" Ryn pauses. "Though Machi is coming to help."

"Machi?" Adella asks. "Is she a spider?"

Ryn nods, patting the sofa cushion to her right. "Machi is very good at fixing broken bodies. When Chrollo killed Hisoka, Machi was able to patch him up. Granted, Hisoka is the one who managed to bring himself back to life, but he wouldn't have his pretty face if it wasn't for her."

"I think you paid her too much." Adella jokes, causing Ryn to grab a pillow to hit her with.

Illumi watches, a small smile on his lips. Adella may be a very lonely and solitary woman, but at least she had Ryn. She'd always had Ryn. At least since they'd met their first semester of university.

Even when he was gone, Ryn would make sure Adella was safe.

"You're staying a week?" He asks, catching the two women's attention.

"Yeah, and?"

"I have a job I've been putting off. If you don't mind keeping her company…"

"I can handle a week on my own." Adella interrupts.

"It will be two. Maybe three." He clarifies.

Her face falls. "But next week is the opera."

He sighs, having forgotten about that. "I'm sorry, dear. I have to go either this week or next. At least this way you only alone a week."

Adella pouts, and Ryn mimics her. "Okay, fine. Leaving tomorrow?"

He nods, moving to press a kiss to her forehead. "Be good for me."

Ryn frowns. "Where's my kiss, Illu?"

He points an accusing finger as he heads towards the bedroom, making sure his family knows he will be leaving tomorrow. And to make sure he is familiar with his target. "Behave. I better have all my windows when I get home."

Ryn sticks her tongue out at him. "Adella pays rent!"

"And I keep her safe." He counters. If he had his way, Adella would be living in the most secure penthouse in Yorknew, but the woman stubbornly refused his money. Except on window repairs. "My windows. None of them broken."

Ryn is back! I missed her. No update next week as I will be on vacation.